Six students completed a six-week heavy equipment operator course offered by the Continuing Education Department at Chattanooga State Community College. The participants gained the knowledge, plus hands-on skill and ability required to safely and efficiently operate specific types of heavy construction equipment.

Graduates of the program are Michael Ballard, Antwane Davis, Joshua Farr, Jason Harp, David Honey, and Joseph Simpson. Two of the graduates Antwane Davis and Joshua Farr are from Knoxville.

Classes met on the main campus of Chattanooga State and at an off-campus site, USA Concrete on Hudson Road. The students learned how to operate basic pieces of heavy equipment like a bulldozer, a skid steer, a forklift, a track-hoe, a backhoe, and a dump truck. Stowers Machinery, a local Caterpillar dealer in Chattanooga, provided equipment.

The students worked through the National Center for Construction Education and Research textbooks and successfully took tests in the classroom to prepare for NCCER certification exam. In addition, they spent four weeks operating the equipment in a real-world setting.

These latest graduates are distributing resumes and currently searching for work. The next classes starts May 20. Class size is limited to 12 students. However. there are still a few spots open. For further information or to enroll in the program, contact Harry Hawkins at 423 697-3100 or harry.hawkins@chattanoogastate.edu.

A Band Showcase will be held Saturday, Feb. 24, at Brainerd High School. It will begin at noon. Bands to perform include Brainerd High School and Tyner High School, as well as two schools from Nashville, Maplewood and Pearl-Cohn. Tickets are on sale at the BHS band room for $10. (click for more)

Cleveland State celebrated the grand opening of its new food pantry, the Cougar Den, on Wednesday afternoon. The goal of the food pantry is to provide assistance to CSCC students in need. (click for more)

One person was killed Saturday morning on Ochs Highway. Another person in the same vehicle was taken to the hospital. An 18-wheeler was coming down the mountain, and hit three cars traveling up the mountain. Ochs Highway was closed in both directions, and HAZMAT crews were at the scene. The wreck happened at mid-morning. (click for more)

A home was destroyed by fire early Saturday morning in Hixson. Around 2:30 a.m. , the Dallas Bay Volunteer Fire Department responded to a possible house fire at 904 Wesley Drive in Hixson. When the first unit arrived on the scene, they reported the second floor of the home was completely engulfed with fire. Firefighters conducted a defensive ... (click for more)

All politics aside, the recent shooting in Florida, and every other shooting in a public place, is a senseless and, possibly, preventable tragedy. It is absurd that we can’t gather in a free society without the fear of some nut job or terrorist using us as targets. And then the cries of “do something!” from every quarter. But, other than the obvious attempt by agenda-pushers ... (click for more)

On Friday morning, this after a crazed human being killed 17 innocent children and adults at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Wednesday, I sat in a room with Sheriff Jim Hammond and members of his command staff and asked what everyone us want to know: “What do we do?” Gino Bennett, the sage guiding force, sat beside me and he told the room, “The time to ‘prevent’ is over ... (click for more)